The debate about whether digital releases and their low cost lead to the dance music market being flooded with crap has been done to death already, but I wanted to look at the other side of the issue -- not the side of the people who make and distribute the tracks, but the side of people who eventually buy them.

Basically, here's the question:

Do the ease and low cost of downloads influence DJs and regular music buyers to be significantly less discriminating about what they buy (and perhaps also about what they eventually play out)?

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On the other hand, one might argue that downloads would actually make DJs more discriminating, since there are now thousands of more tracks available than just whatever happens to get out on vinyl; faced with a much less limited set of choices, they can afford to turn their noses up at more tracks.

Thoughts?

Sometimes I find myself buying a track that I know will just be filler because it's easy/cheap to download. If I listened to the actual vinyl I'd probably not buy it.

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I'll be the first to admit I know buy way more shit than I otherwise would.

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quote:

Originally posted by bas Sometimes I find myself buying a track that I know will just be filler because it's easy/cheap to download.

If I listened to the actual vinyl I'd probably not buy it.

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+1. it's kinda sad that there are tracks i've bought and only listened to once.

When I used to buy vinyls, I picked them out really carefully until I finally made the decision to purchase them. For me, it wasn't just music to dj with, but it was my precious collection. Some were hard to find, but once I got my hands on them, it was very rewarding.
I switched to mp3's, thinking that it would allow me to experiment and give me more variety of music for dj'ing purposes, since it was a cheaper alternative, and also because it was more convenient not having to change records each time I load a new song. After a while, I stopped buying records, and ended up selling my collection (Damn it! I miss em. ).

With mp3's, I end up buying so many songs without giving much thought into it. A lot of them turns out to be total crap that I never listen to. For me, physically owning the tracks meant so much more than just having an mp3's.

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I listen to much more new shite music since the downloading spree started but i get the chance to be more selective with the tracks I buy.

Vinyl at my local stores is way too pricey.

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I see your point concerning why it may result in less discriminating tastes among digitial consumers, but ultimately, I feel it results in a more casual purchasing process than with vinyl.

When all you have to loose is a dollar and some change, you're less likely to reflect upon whether or not you really need this, or whether or not it really fits into your sets and style, and more likely to just say 'why not?' When you're shelling out 12 bucks, on the other hand, you tend to weigh the risks of getting stuck with a dud of a track a little more carefully.

But it could work in the opposite way. Considering that you're getting great quantity at great affordability, it would make perfect sense to stretch out every last bit of quality for your money. But generally speaking, I think most people go the 'well, I can always use more music' route when confronted with an uncertain purchase, and if vinyl prices were on par with digital downloads, I can see most people having the same spendthrift attitude.

Last edited by Paradox Lost on Apr-19-2008 at 09:30

i don't think filler necessarily means shit


there's definitely alot more filler that wouldn't have cut it in a vinyl-only market, but that has both its pros & cons. it's easier to construct a consistent flowing set with filler tracks & it makes the standout tracks erm.. stand out more. however the trend seems to be pushing edm ever further into the disposable territory...

i don't think it's changed my buying habits. i've bought more music but that's because there's been more to choose from. even back when i bought vinyl it was all too often the case i played it once or twice before completely going off it :/

its unfortunate that beatport isnt set up like a real record store. where you really have to dig to find the gems. would be great to have a graphical interface similar to a record store 12" rack of vinyl. so you cant browse as quickly and search for particular artists. would make a lot more fresh dj styles.

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quote:

Originally posted by richg101 its unfortunate that beatport isnt set up like a real record store. where you really have to dig to find the gems. would be great to have a graphical interface similar to a record store 12" rack of vinyl. so you cant browse as quickly and search for particular artists. would make a lot more fresh dj styles.

Sorry, but that's retarded.

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quote:

Originally posted by noikeee Sorry, but that's retarded.

+1 lol


and honestly if you end up buying a lot of shit...you're just lazy. The flip side to your question is that there is so much out there you can put together a very diverse unique set if you put some energy into...if anything the cheaper cost should allow you to buy more tunes which means you should be able to find some tracks that go super well together...

or you can just download the top 10.